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**Summary:**
Oklahoma City commemorated the 67th anniversary of the Katz Drug Store sit-in, a crucial event in the Civil Rights Movement. Events included an art show, sit-in reenactment, and church service. Marilyn Luper-Hildreth, daughter of civil rights leader Clara Luper, shared her experiences of facing discrimination during the sit-in as a child. The celebrations emphasized the importance of preserving this history and acknowledged that the fight for equality continues. The commemoration concluded with a symbolic meal of a hamburger and Coke.
**News Article:**
**Oklahoma City Honors Legacy of Katz Drug Store Sit-In on 67th Anniversary**
**Oklahoma City, OK** – Oklahoma City residents gathered this weekend to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the Katz Drug Store sit-in, a landmark event in the fight against segregation. The weekend was filled with events designed to remember and celebrate the courage of those who challenged discriminatory practices in 1958.
The sit-in, led by the Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council and civil rights leader Clara Luper, targeted the Katz Drug Store lunch counter, which at the time refused to serve African Americans. Marilyn Luper-Hildreth, Luper’s daughter who participated in the sit-in at just 9 years old, shared her powerful recollections of the experience.
“When we sat down in Oklahoma City, young people throughout this country started to stand up against the injustice,” Luper-Hildreth stated. She recalled the harsh treatment protestors endured, including being sprayed with water hoses, facing arrest, and enduring verbal and physical abuse.
Commemorative events included an art show, a reenactment of the historic sit-in, and a sermon at Fifth Street Baptist Church, all focusing on the significance of desegregating the lunch counter. “That’s why we celebrate because they’re trying to take our history out of the classroom, out of the textbook, and who’s going to tell our story besides we ourselves?” said Luper-Hildreth.
Despite the progress made since 1958, Luper-Hildreth emphasized that the struggle for equality is far from over. “Until we can work together as brothers in democracy, then the fight’s not over,” she declared.
The commemoration concluded with a reception where attendees shared a symbolic hamburger and Coke, representing the simple request for equal service that sparked a movement and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for justice.
First Piper 